Networks of computers such as intranets, local and wide area networks, and public networks such as the Internet can exchange information in “packets.” A packet includes data such as files and programs and can also include a header that contains information that identifies the packet and indicates its origin and destination. The header can further include network protocol identifiers, which describe the version number of the protocol that is to be used to transmit the information through and amongst networks. Moreover, the header can contain information identifying the port on the source computer from which the packet was sent and the port on the destination computer to which the packet is to be sent.
One type of network device that transmits data packets and their associated headers amongst network elements are known as “routers.” In order to be transmitted from a one network to another, a data packet is typically routed by a plurality of routers that are each connected to other routers, public networks, private networks and/or individual server/client computers.
Routers often include a routing table that specifies the manner in which the various routers are connected to one another. Routers can implement a dynamic routing process wherein each router exchanges with other routers a routing protocol (such as Routing Information Protocol (RIP) and/or Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)) update on a periodic basis, commonly once every thirty seconds. The route updates provides information regarding the paths by which the router is currently connected to other routers and networks. Upon receipt of routing update packets, such as a RIP or OSPF update, each router can process the update and record any new routing information, or networks path descriptors, into its routing table.
Routers can have an open network (“ON”) architecture wherein the router includes a control element that creates and manages the routing protocols and a separate forwarding element that forwards the packets pursuant to information specified in an associated routing table, sometimes called a routing information base (RIB). In such architectures, there may be multiple forwarding elements managed by a single control element, in which case each forwarding element can contain both an RIB and a forwarding information base (FIB) specifying via known labeling protocols the paths between various forwarding elements. Routing errors can occur if RIB and FIB updates are implemented at different times by the various forwarding elements controlled by the single control element. For instance, if a packet is received by a router that is processing RIB and FIB updates, the packet could be transmitted by an “updated” forwarding element to an “un-updated” forwarding element that drops the packet because it has not yet processed the RIB or FIB update.